Over 1,000 residents of Murang'a County have benefited from free health check-ups including screenings for breast, prostate, and cervical cancers. In an exercise carried out by Del Monte in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, residents also benefited from health talks and handy tips on nutrition.

Other key topics discussed by health experts were mother and child health, hygiene, and sanitation in an exercise organized to drive awareness as well as to encourage the adoption of good health practices among women and adolescents.

“Del Monte recognizes the centrality of communities to its operations which is also underpinned within our corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy. This free medical camp is part of our continuous CSR strategy that is in line with our core values as a company that cares for its communities,” said Wayne Cook, Del Monte Managing Director.

“This medical camp also serves to mark the WHO Breast Cancer Month that is observed in October with breast cancer screening being a major component,” Cook added.

Fruit producer Del Monte partnered with a number of institutions in the health awareness campaign including JKUAT, Ganesh, Ministry of Health Muranga, NHIF, Minet Insurance, Shalina Health Care, Central Memorial Hospital, and Furaha Chemist. Hospitality establishment Cascade, as well as transport company Metro Trans participated in the exercise too.

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Women empowerment

The medical camp was part of Del Monte’s United Nations Foundation commitment that was launched in 2020 and targets to empower at least 10,000 women including employees and neighboring communities with reproductive health information and services and other critical health needs by 2024.

“The screening services and treatments being offered today will benefit our people especially women and children who are the most disadvantaged and are not able to easily access them due to poverty and inadequate health facilities serving this area,” noted Issac Mwoce the area Chief, Makuyu Location.

The medical camp offered a wide range of services such as blood pressure checks, BMI tests, blood sugar checks, deworming, health talks, and counseling on lifestyle diseases.

Area residents also benefited from ENT and ophthalmology services, consultations, treatments, and referrals for further management.

Overall, the initiative focused on promoting good health practices and raising awareness about critical health issues among the attendees.

Previously, Del Monte has sponsored similar medical camps in the Thika and Murang’a in several locations including Ndula, Kandara, Matunda, Makenji, Swani, and Ng’araria reaching over 3,000 people so far.

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